


Sam and Jack Ship Day Prompts

by ONeillwith2ls



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M, Gen, samjackshipday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:07:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25559308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ONeillwith2ls/pseuds/ONeillwith2ls
Summary: A challenge set forth on Tumblr #samjackshipday here are my contributions! Each chapter named after each one of the prompts.None of them are directly related to each other, except for 10 and 12.
Relationships: Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill
Comments: 40
Kudos: 34





	1. Empty

**Author's Note:**

> Set during Season 4 Ep 20 Entity, as such speech from the ep is in bold.

Something has been bothering me ever since that ‘entity’ entered her. I wasn't able to put my finger on it before but now I see it plain as day.

I watch as it enters the corridor willing to follow it, willing to spare it because of her, if I must.

She is intelligent. I think sometimes the fate of the world hangs on her next thought, her next idea. To be fair, she’s never given me any reason to doubt her. She does have a tendency to pull brilliant ideas out of her butt.

She’s fantastic. No, really, I say it without hesitation. When she was placed on my team, let's just say I was less than impressed. Not because of her. I didn’t know her yet. She was, however, a scientist and usually when a scientist tells you they’ve had field experience, it’s usually not up to scratch. The actual field experience, that is. They are still all brains over brawn, and they hide from confrontation. That slender blonde-haired blue-eyed gal on the first mission showed she was just as capable as my men and it’s not that often people do. My men are well-trained and I know I can depend on them. She was a liability, shall we say, and on the field, you can’t afford liabilities.

But something strange happened. She kept proving herself time and time again, and I find myself watching her in awe. Her strength. Her ability. She and I, we fit, like a hand in a glove. We have an understanding which is beyond physical or emotional.

Then, on top of it, she’s a scientist, she’s smart! So incredibly smart, she thinks on her feet, she programs computers, she even has the long-term concentration and dedication to fix her bikes and cars—that is something we have in common.

She’s passionate and compassionate. She’s cute and she’s deadly. She's warm and she’s tender. She’s beautiful and graceful.

Usually when I look into those bright and beautiful blue eyes that is who I see. I see all the things which makes her Carter.

And right now, that ‘entity’ is using her as a conduit for its own purposes. It uses her arms and throws them up in the air and spikes of energy stream from her hands to the ceiling.

**“I believe the alien is attempting to return to the mainframe.”** Teal’c states, but I barely hear him as I point the zat gun at her. At Carter. I can hear my own heart pounding in my ears.

It pauses for a moment, as if to challenge me. It knows. It knows how I feel. It trapped itself inside the women I love, and it knows it. It knows I wouldn’t shoot her, not for national security not for anything. It defiantly stares back at me for a moment—and that’s when it happened. When I realize what has been bothering me.

It continues to send the energy spikes, staring defiantly at me.

See, normally when I look into Sam’s eyes, I see _her_. Right now, that’s not what I see.

Nothing. I don’t see anything.

It’s empty.

Empty of compassion and love. Of intelligence and knowledge. Of naivete, and experience.

And that is the only reason I find the strength to shoot.

It is not my Sam.

And I will not have the women I love used as a puppet, dangling in front of me—of us like that. It is not how Sam would want to survive.

So… I do it for _her_.

* * *

I know what it is that everyone is thinking. To be honest, I’m thinking it too. Lying in front of me is a brain-dead Sam Carter. She is literally being kept alive by machines, the very thing—the same thing that started her in this mess. And do you know what else she has? A living will. She told me about it sometime ago, made me promise that when push comes to shove, I would carry out her wishes. Shove happened about 4 hours ago, but I can’t let go of her shell yet.

"I’m sorry, Carter,” I whisper, although I’m fairly sure she can’t hear me. “I’m not as strong as you think.” I take a deep breath, walk over to her bedside, and just for a moment let myself hold her hand. “Where are you, Sam? I need you and you’re not here. I lov—” I let go of her hand and wipe my face with my hand. “Shit.” I mutter and look around, making sure no one heard my almost confession. But I’m safe, I’m alone. I sit and watch a few minutes more before Janet comes back in.

**“Still no change?”** She asks me, though I know it’s a courtesy. She, of all people, would know if anything had changed. “ **I don't know if she ever told you this, Colonel, but Sam made a living will. No extraordinary means**.”

“ **Yeah, she told me.”** I admit.

“ **There's no brain activity of any kind. No brain wave for either Sam or the entity. She's being kept alive entirely on life support. I think it's time to let her go, Sir**.”

I’m frustrated, I’m angry, I’m downright upset. This thing forced this choice on me, forced me to do this, do this to the women I love, and it knew it? What kind of rat bastard race does that? **“Just give it a minute, huh?”**

* * *

I don’t mean to be but I’m the first one by her side. I look in her eyes and I see her.

Thank God, I see her!

**“Hey Carter, where you been?”** I ask her softly.

**“It's gone?”** She asks, not just out of her but also off the base. Earth is no longer in danger. It’s gone. It’s typical her first thought is for others.

**“Yes, it is.”** Hammond assures her.

**“I was shouting for you to hear.”** She tells us weakly, as if it had been the only thing on her mind.

**“We heard.”** I say.

I’ll always hear you Sam.


	2. Dessert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam is really REALLY hungry!

I’ve never been so hungry in my life! At the beginning, you try to be polite, a little nibble here, your lips only peeking out to wipe the taste from your lips, but today was different. My mouth molded round the fresh flesh and as if I were starving, try not to but my teeth find skin and I sink my teeth in .The first thing I notice is the tenderness I find, so soft against my teeth, I don’t encounter any resistance, just the familiar hum of a pulse, like a familiar song I know the rhythm I counter for it. I know it, so my teeth go in deeper.

The next thing I know I taste the salt. The familiar seasoning, but this is the best kind. You find all different flavours in life, each tasting just that little bit distinct from the others, some are more metallic, others more sulfuric, some hit your tongue in one go, others linger on your lips for hours. But this, I flick my tongue out, massaging the meat as I go.

I’m showing every symptom of pleasure. Increased heart rate, my pupils I know are dilated. The amount of pleasure I feel from one simple taste!

“Is it good?” Jack asks me.

“Oh yeah!” I agree enthusiastically, the break having let my other senses start to confirm what my taste already knew.

The vivid colours of brown associated immediately with my target! I do love how deep and dark the brown goes from chestnut to hickory and a smoky pewter scattering still to an ash grey. 

Jack always loved to barbecue, tonight is no different. The smell of bay leaf on coals, leather and toasted marshmallows join the still lingering taste on my lips. I’m unabashed in my salivation, there’s no denying I crave the taste again.

The heat is still stirred in my stomach, my senses wanting more as my tongue washes against the sweet nectar on my lips as I sip gently. Nodes of sweet cinnamon dance on my tongue. 

‘I’ve patiently waited.’ I thought to myself, then before I knew it, I've bounce back, this time to devour. 

* * *

Sated, I relax back. My body is in a pleasant buzz. I’m still amazed by it. Satisfaction doesn’t cover it.

“Wow!” he exclaims with that stupid smirk on his face. “So, what’s for dessert?” He jokes before I giggle and flip him onto his back.

“I don’t know what your fascination is with dessert.” I tease him, straddling him and grinding my naked body with his. “When dinner is that good!”

“Oh, but dessert is my favourite.” He tells me while he strokes my cheek gently. “You start with her favourite sugary treat.” he shrugs “I mean you can look at it and study it and you think you know everything about a dessert from the huge blue pools, but real desserts are an indulgence.” He says, not breaking eye contact with me, “I mean it's good for a while. But there is so much more to a dessert then just those baby blues.” 

‘So, he thinks he knows better than my Jell-O? Not much chance in that!’ I think. 

“You see, a real dessert is all soft--” He says while gently teasing my hips with his fingers softly stroking round, the other hand slipping from my cheek down to my chest “and round.” 

A sound escapes from the back of my throat, and I seriously wonder how he has me wanting more, now it's his turn to be on top as he turns us over, tangling us in the bedsheets one leg is firmly between my thighs, making it impossible for me to not feel aroused by his presence. 

“It's all decadent,” He says, his nose returning to the side of my face, nudging it so gently with his nose “And sweet” He whispers in my ear before he places a kiss just south of my lobe. “Soft and creamy.” He says as he kisses down my clavicle to my sternum and he looks up into my eyes. “So delicious and moreish.”

He’s smiling wickedly when he next looks up and brushing my nipples with his thumbs, he tells me. “Then you top it with these sweet cherries.” He teases them, then covers them with his mouth. I know he can feel as I pool for him.

“Then when you think you've had enough, you look some more and right there your fork, find the milky invitation--” He tells me before he kisses down my stomach, my back involuntarily leaves from the bed. “And just when you think it's over there can be no more--” he continues as he arrives at the apex of my legs “you find, there’s more than one helping--”

“Ahhhhh!” I cry involuntarily at the pleasure pulsing through me. 

“You changed your mind?” he asks me innocently.

“Oh yah! Gotta get me some sugar!” I burst.

* * *

I lay on my front in a post haze while he drew on my back. He’d never admit to it, he was drawing stargate symbols. I know it and he knows I know it. Instead of drawing attention to it I relax into it, savouring his touch.

“How come you like cake so much?” I ask him.

He starts to chuckle where I look at him confused. “I don’t think I’m ready to go again Sam.” he says with a smug grin trying to hold back the laughter.

“No!” I giggle, unable to help it, I turn over onto my side and slap him playfully. “Not--not that!” I laugh. “I meant actual cake!”

“Oh real cake?” he grinned.

I raise an eyebrow and watch him carefully as he did the same for a few seconds before he nodded. “Alright.” he tells me “You know that my mother and Mac’s mom were sisters.”

“That’s right Harry’s girls.” I nod.

“Well both of our mom’s liked to encourage us to push boundaries to think, to be outside the box.” he admits. “So if we got scared they would whisper to us or mouth, just one word, just one so we’d know not to be afraid.” he told me. “Mac’s word was ice-cream, mine was cake.” he shrugs “Maybe it was predestined, or a coincidence, or maybe we just love the things which pushed us out of our comfort zones.” he tells me with a meaningful grin to me before he pressed his lips to my forehead. 

“That’s sweet.” I smile.

“No,” Jack joked “Dessert.” 


	3. Thunder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If itsd one thing she's afriad of---

The rain came on so suddenly, they didn’t have time to make it back to the camp. So, they did what every good Air Force officer would do, they ran into the caves they had started towards in the first place. Except instead of heading to them to see if there was any clue as to if there had been any civilizations on the planet, they were heading there for shelter. They entered the cave and started to shake off the excess water.

“Where the hell did that come from?” He asked her.

“I’m not sure, sir,” she said, removing her rucksack. They had only brought the one, never expecting it to matter. The caves were only three clicks from the campsite they had left Daniel and Teal’c tendering. “There was no indication from the weather that there was rain on the way--at least by Earth’s standard.”

“Great,” he gruffed then thumbed for his radio. “T, Danny you read?”

A short static burst followed by Daniel’s voice. “Yah, Jack we’re here.”

“You see this rain?” Jack gruffed.

“Yep.” Daniel confirmed. “We’ll be lucky if the campsite isn’t washed away. We’ve taken cover in the ruins. Looks like we’re going to be here a while.”

“Ya good call.” Jack confirmed, remembering the ruins the campsite was immediately set up next to. “We’re at the caves. We’ve taken shelter here, as long as this rain keeps going. We’ll update every half an hour.”

“No problem.” Daniel said.

“O’Neill out.”

He turned around to find Sam had moved further into the cave. He came beside her and looked first at her; Her mouth was slightly ajar with surprise, so he turned his attention to the cave. “Woah!” he exclaimed, seeing the cavern ahead. “Now Daniel probably wishes he came with me instead of staying with T.” He smirked.

The cavern looked something akin to Aladdin’s Cave. Not only was there gold but writings on the wall, rugs on the ground and--

“Fire!” Sam exclaimed, smiling running down to what could only be described as a fireplace “Oh heat!” she exclaimed, jumping in front of it, warming her hands.

Jack took his time walking down the steps in contrast to Sam, looking around carefully “What do you make of these markings?” he asked her.

“I’m not sure yet. It doesn’t look like another language we’ve come into contact with yet.” Sam admitted.

“Although I’d say for certain there once was a civilization.” Jack observed.

“Yes sir. Although we have no way of knowing if they abandoned the planet a week ago or thousand years ago.”

Jack hummed in agreement before he continued the thought. “So, no way yet of knowing if they’re coming back for any of these wonders.”

“Yes sir.” she agreed. “As pretty as it is, sir--” she said indicating towards the room, “I can’t see anything yet which would help us in the fight against the Goa’uld.” she admitted.

“No, not yet.” Jack said now standing next to her and rubbing his hands together. “We’re stuck for the time being.” he admitted, “we might as well look around.”

“Once we’re warmed up.” Sam suggested, shivering.

“Once we’re warmed up.” Jack agreed, “Carter, you need to strip off you look like a drown pup.” he told her.

“My pack has no new clothes in, sir.” she told him. “And you aren’t looking much better.”

He looked at her in disbelief before he said. “Take a look around Carter, you telling me with all this fabric we couldn’t fashion something dry?” he asked her looking around. “I bet we could make blankets out of these at a push.”

So, like a good soldier Sam stripped off, it turned out she was wet all the way through her clothes, but it hadn’t touched her underwear. He found some rope which he draped across the fireplace, close enough to dry off their wet clothes at least. He then stripped off himself, seeing but also trying to ignore the young Major handing her wet clothes on the makeshift line -- in her underwear. He picked up a piece of fabric not looking at her as he handed her it. 

“Thank you, sir.” she murmured but before she could put the fabric around her there was a loud bang overhead which made Sam squeal out in surprise and jump in surprise into Jack’s arms.

“Woah, hey there.” he whispered, his arms went around her when he realized she was still shaking. “Carter, it was just thunder.” he whispered.

“Yes, sir.” she squeaked.

“Carter?” he started.

“Yah?” she replied.

“Are you afraid of thunder?” he asked her.

There was a pregnant pause before she lied quietly, “No.” then as if on cue another clap of thunder sounded which made her flinch and tense up. He held her closer amazed at her.

Major Samantha Carter can blow up mother ships, suns and any Jaffa attacking her. Major Samantha Carter, the hot shot, can rope at one hundred and fifty feet away. Major Samantha Carter who programmed a dialling device, who rewrote the laws of physics to get him home. 

The same Major Samantha Carter was afraid of thunder. He held her closer, a warm sense of fondness with protectiveness came over him. “It’s okay, Carter, I gotcha.” he whispered to her, his head dipping into her neck “You’re safe.” 

It didn’t take long for them to find some cushions. Jack made them a comfortable fort to sit in the middle of the floor near the fire. They both had a sarong-like concoction on them to cover up most of their modesty.

“So, tell me, why are ya scared?” he asked her.

“When I was a little girl, about three, there was this huge thunderstorm. Lights going out all over town. We saw at least two power stations cut out. Trees were coming down on the road and I was out in the car with my dad.” she said shakingly. “And I was little and scared and I asked dad--”

“Oh oh.” Jack interjected.

“If we were safe in the car,” She paused for a second before she said, “And he said, not to worry--” she continued “--that lightning only struck moving objects, that were metal.” She tensed again as she heard the thunder again “and then there was a huge crack of thunder and lightning and a tree almost hit us. I mean it didn’t but--”

“You must have been terrified.”

“I know it makes no sense now. I’ve studied it at length I know what it is, where it happens, why and how, I know these things--”

“It didn’t help.” he nodded. “My Grandma O’Neill told me that thunder was God moving the furniture, and the lightning was he was changing all the lightbulbs in heaven.” She smiled at it and he shrugged “It never seemed as scary after that.” Another crack overhead and she jumped again “You were better in the hug.” He told her his arm was coming out for her. They rearranged themselves so they were comfortable in a half lying position on the cushions, she cuddled into his chest, her hand resting across his ribs. “There you go, you’re safe.” he held her.

“You won’t tell the others, will you?” She asked him, looking up into his eyes.

He chuckled and smoothed the skin of her cheek before he kissed her gently. “I won’t tell if you don’t.” 

She took a deep and relaxing breath, her eyes fixed on his lips for a moment before she looked back into his eyes. “Thank you sir.” She whispered, finally relaxing in his arms. 

* * *

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he felt her stir in his arms. It woke him almost as quickly; they only came round to physical awareness together.

“Must’ta fallen ‘sleep.” she murmured.

“Mmm,” he said his nose rubbing into her hair. “Have to radio Danny--” he said quietly before they heard a throat being cleared nearby. 

Sam jumped back and with a squeal realised their togas had come loose and in effect were simply draped over them, as Jack shot up realising the same thing. Upon seeing Daniel, who was looking smug and Teal’c had a knowing look on his face, he tried to take a serious approach.

“The thunderstorm?” Jack asked Daniel.

“Ended over 2 hours ago.” Daniel revealed “We came looking for you.”

“Ever heard of the radio?” Jack snapped.

“We tried several times, but you didn’t answer.” Daniel grinned while Sam looked horrified.

“It's not what it looks like.” 


	4. Dog Tag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All these ‘dog tags’ told them were physical, but read between the lines, that's where you’d find the real him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set during Heroes. Can be read alongside with my ‘Fallen Heroes’ story in the series ‘episode tags’, but it's certainly not necessary to read one to understand the other.

Sam sat on the stool beside him, grasping at his dog tags, which had come off as the medics had lifted him from the field. 

She had wanted to scream at them for being so careless. This was the Colonel they were tossing onto the stretcher! It's not what had come out; she had simply let out another small cry picking up the tags in her palms. Teal’c, ever the rock, had stood firm beside her, giving her a reprieve of shared concern for the man lying uncharacteristically still. 

She read the letters again on the tag: 

O’Neill, Jack

799 36 6412 

BNEG RC

Twenty-seven characters longThat's all Jack O’Neill was to the military. His tags telling them all they needed to know if something went wrong, injured, or dead. It didn’t matter that’s all he was to them.

“Major Carter, ma’am?” She heard an airman ask her.

“Yah?” she said still in a haze.

“There’s a Pete Shanahan on the line for you?” he informed her. “He said it was urgent.”

Sam shook her head. There was nothing which Pete could tell her which was more important than the man she was holding a vigil over.

“Tell him I’m not available, in meetings or have delicate work in the lab. I can’t leave, just find an excuse and refuse calls for the rest of the day from him.” She told the airman. 

“Yes, ma’am.” he agreed, looking concerned for the Major before he left. 

She took a steadying breath. She had already lost her best friend today. She’d be damned if she lose him too.

She felt the grooves from the dog tags again pressed into her palm and she bit her bottom lip, trying to stop the tears.

He meant so much more to her than just twenty-seven characters.

She hadn’t been kidding in her earlier praise of him. If anything, she had been downplaying him.

_ “He's an amazing man. After everything he's done, he's still modest, quite self-effacing actually. He even likes people to think he's not as smart as he really is. Bottom line: He's an incredibly strong leader who's given more of himself for this program than anyone has given for... well... anything I can imagine.” _

Nothing, nothing else mattered. If there was no Jack O’Neill, everything else’s value would be null and void. He was simply incredible. He was her everything so did the twenty-seven characters do him justice? 

“Is that all you are to them?” she asked him quietly.

His lifetime of secret service to this country made most men pale in his presence. If it was simply down to just his service, not even then would it do him justice.

He commanded more than just SG-1. He held a power over her, all this time, even when she’s dated and was now engaged to someone else, Jack O’Neill could still command her moods. A harsh tone could make her sad, a joke would make her smile, an order would make her jump, a request and she would sacrifice herself for him.

All these ‘dog tags’ told them were physical, but read between the lines, that's where you’d find the real him. 

Because wrapped in the twenty-seven characters was her whole world.

It was a cliché she knew he’d hate, but it was true all the same.

“Hey,” Daniel said to her, coming into the room.   
“Your watch already?” she said quietly.

“Yah.” Daniel said quietly, watching in sympathy at Sam again, seeing her play with the dog tags in her hand. “You still got those?” he asked her.

She shrugged. “For some reason I just can’t seem to let go.” She told him then looked up and saw Daniel nod in understanding as he came over and put an arm around her. 

“Maybe you can give them back to him when he wakes up.” He told her. There was a pause before a little grin appeared on his face “Only make him sweat about it first, make him think he has to get new ones.” Daniel told her with a cheeky grin as she elbowed him playfully as she giggled.

“Yah sure you betcha.” She agreed, leaning her head into the crook of Daniel’s shoulder as they sat. 

* * *

“Sir, I just wanted to say...when you were lying there, I… I’m really glad you’re okay.” She told him, holding back the tears. He stepped forward, his face full of compassion as he whispered a “C'mere.” and wrapped her safely in his arms.

She breathed in his scent, thankful that he held her so close. She calmed in his arms, felt her whole body relax.

This was who Jack O’Neill was, not twenty-seven characters, not a dog tag, he was a man, firm and strong, her compass and her guide. It was he who literally pushed her through the Stargate for the very first time and they never stopped!

* * *

A little while later she opened the door to the room as she was about to leave when she remembered part of the reason she had come in the room. “Oh, um, these fell off while they were moving you. I kept a hold--” She said, handing him his dog tags.

“Thanks.” He said quietly. “I wouldn’t want them forgetting me.”

“I’d make sure of it, sir.” she told him gently. She chuckled a little and said softly, “You’re unforgettable, at least to me.”

They caught one another’s eyes again, and they stood frozen for a fraction longer than two friends should and they knew it;; they just couldn’t move away either.

“You know, that’s not necessarily a good thing--” He told her with a serious look on his face but a playful tone as they started down the corridor. “I had a gym teacher who told me the same thing.”

“What did you do?” she asked him, knowing him some mischief was the source of his teachers’ problems with him.

“It wasn’t just me. My charming cousin was in on it too.”

Sam’s eyes closed and she laughed, her imagination was tantalized. “What did you  _ both _ do?”

“Angus set alight to the gym rope while we were doing strength training for hockey.” he said with a pained (from his wound) smile (which was genuine).

She laughed “Why does this not surprise me?”

“I just happened to be on the rope climbing it at the time.” She giggled as he continued “He said I was moving as slow as a snail, made climbing the rope a bit more of a challenge, but it did speed me up.” He said dryly which just made her giggle more. “The gym teacher said exactly the same thing, you boys are unforgettable!” 


	5. C'mere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> or maybe daddy knows best

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can be read as a prequel to my "Unravel" story, but you certainly don't have to read this to make Unravel make sense or vice versa.

“ **You okay?** ” He asks me as he comes into the observation room and takes the seat beside me.

I’m tearful but answer truthfully. “ **Actually, I'm fine. Good even, strange as that sounds. I thought I lost him seven* years ago. Since then, we've been closer than we ever were my whole life. In a way, Selmak gave me the father I never thought I'd know.”**

He does something then. He looks at me the way he used to and the conflation of those two words is unexpected but welcomed.

“ **C’mere** .” He says, putting his arm around my shoulders as he pulls me near. 

I take the hand which is around me and I hold it against my shoulder for comfort, to hug into. I can’t put into words what it means to me. That after everything, even when I’m engaged to someone else, he’s here, so all I could say is, “ **Thank you, Sir.** ”

“ **For what?”** He asks me. How could he not know how much he means to me? How much it means that he’s here with me.

**“For being here for me** .” I tell him honestly. I want to tell him that it means the world to me that he's here, that there is no one else in the world I would rather have by my side, comforting me. Oh, if only I could say how much he means to me. Then he says something which is so innately Jack, that I know it’s true. It identifies  _ us _ .

“ **Always** .” 

I turn and look into those dark beautiful eyes, and it's true and I know it. I smile for him. I know now that it's true and I’m holding onto his hand, rubbing my thumb in a soothing rhythm against his skin and I look away only to lean into his warm tanned hand.

_ When I was a kid, we were stationed at an LA Air Force base for a little while and I remember going to the beach with my mom. I was fascinated with where the sand disappeared to when the tide came in and when my mom said it was still there just under the water, I didn't quite believe her because I couldn't see it. She then told me, "Some of the greatest reassurances in life you can't see: gravity pulling you to earth, the breeze on a warm day, but--" She takes me by the hand and walks with me to the water’s edge where you could still see the wrinkles in the sand from the water having been there. "We do see the effects." She smiled at me. "Don't forget, Sam, just because you can't see something doesn't mean it's not real, that the effects of it isn't seen in your life. And one of the greatest forces in the world is love." _

This feels just like when the tide turns and the sand is still there, it's no surprise, so there's no shock or surprise on my face. It’s reassuring and reliable and real. I know then, in that second, the tide turns in my mind and heart and what's there, has always been there and  _ always _ will.

**_Him._ **

When they beckon me to dad, I know he'll stay. I know he will because he told me when he looked at me just before I let go of his hand, silently and reassuringly, we're talking with our eyes again, and I'm so glad I know now. 

* * *

Dad is slipping away, and I have to tell him that I know! I know what he meant and what I'm going to do, but I have to be fast. The airman moves away as I lean in and kiss him gently. "Dad, I know what you've been trying to tell me. I'm going to fix it. I swear it to you It’s okay, you can go now. I know what I need to do, to be with the man I love."

He looks at me and smiles weakly, "Then I go a happy man. Tell Jack we'll come back and haunt him if he hurts you."

I giggle, smile, and nod in acknowledgment. "Thank you, daddy." I say to him. "It's the best going away present you could give me."

_ I lean over and uncharacteristically kiss him again. He is my dad after all. _

_ "I love you." He tells me, with his last conscious breath. _

* * *

It's only a little while later he comes to join me. I feel his hand on my bicep at first, his way of letting me know he's there/ I knew he was. I felt him come into the room.

All the same I turn on the spot and again his soft "C'mere" is all the encouragement I need. I fold into his warm embrace, letting his arms engulf me. For all I know I'm okay, like I said to him before. I know Dad has lost consciousness and I know he won't wake again. Yet, as I stand here, I'm surrounded with safety, comfort, and love. We change positions slightly, so my arms go around his neck before I lean, in my mouth is close to his ear. 

"Stay with me, till the end." I whisper to him.

"I told you I'll stay always." He tells me softly.

I take a deep cleansing breath in. Yes, this! This is what I want! "When this is all over, we need to talk." I whisper to him.

He pulls back far enough to look into my red puffy eyes, and I see--. My breath catches by his look. I know it’s wishful thinking, but I could swear I saw love in his eyes. "Okay." He agrees still so softly before we fold into each other again and just as we do, the machines behind us flat line.

Fresh tears spring to my eyes but I smile a little. Typical Dad, hanging on long enough to be sure I keep my word.

It's okay, Dad, you left me in safe hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Original script says 4 years ago making it season 4 of Stargate, but Jacob Carter received Selmak in season 2 so I've adjusted and put the right years in.


	6. Today *is* Friday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today is Friday

“General O’Neill, sir?” His secretary came into his office, trying to hand him another file.

“Thanks, Jo, just put it in the inbox.” he gruffed.

She smiled slightly before she said, “You might want to sign that one off. It’s the orders for Colonel Carter--” At her name, he picked it up and Jo smiled. Whenever it involved his wife, the General would jump on it, out of affection and respect for her. It was strange but here in DC, they could be more open about their relationship. People here didn’t necessarily know she had served directly under his command for over eight years. They had gone to state balls and dinners together, as a married couple, not just as friends. Yet they kept it very discreet – almost secretive.

Both their lifestyles had to be flexible. The General himself preferred to work out of the Cheyenne Mountain complex where she was based, when he could, but even when there, they were completely professional with each other. The most the mask would slip would be a brief lingering look between them. 

Jo loved Sam too. She somehow found it hard to believe that Sam could be a hard-ass Colonel, though all evidence pointed towards it.

“Sir, I’m here to remind you today is Friday.” she told him.

“Friday right.” he said, flatly. 

She chuckled, her eyebrow cocked slightly, and she said it again. “No, sir. Today *is* Friday.”

His eyes shot up closely followed by his body. “Today *is* Friday.” He repeated, a smirk appearing on his lips.

Jo smiled. “Today *is* Friday.”

“Today is Friday, today is Friday. Friday.” He paced nervously.

Jo laughed and shook her head “Sir, your signature?”

“Right!” he said, picking up the pen and signing the papers on his desk. “I take it this is a yes?” he asked her.

“It is.” She smiled. “And they agreed to the renaming too. Very fitting, sir.”

“I thought so. At least they listened to me this time! I told them not to name the Prometheus that, but would they listen to me?” he joked.

“What did you want to call it?” she asked.

“The Enterprise.” Which made her laugh. “Sam is going to love this!” he smiled. 

“Right on time too.” Jo nodded. “Are you going to tell her tonight?”

“Ya sure you betcha.” he grinned.

“Congratulate her for me?” Jo asked of him.

“Sure, thanks Jo.” he grinned.

“Colonel Carter’s plane landed as scheduled and your car took her back to your place an hour ago. Your anniversary presents were delivered along with the card which had strict instructions for her not to cook dinner.” Jo smiled.

“Anything short of intergalactic war--” Jack reminded her as he put his jacket back on.

“No interruptions.” Jo nodded. “Got it, sir.”

He grinned as he reached for the door handle then smugly stated, “Today *is* Friday!”

* * *

His house was located on the edge of Lake Barcroft, a little under twenty minutes from The Pentagon, was apparently all the space you needed to get away from the suits of Pentagon City and slip into another world.

From the outside the house was nothing extraordinary, despite its price tag. It looked plain enough, maybe a little on the large size, red brick and too many windows and doors. The house was too large for just him, if he was going to be honest, it was however, built beautifully on the inside. Two fireplaces were surrounded by stone walls, the ceilings were exposed, wood beamed. Original wooden floors were covered with large comfortable rugs. 

The size of the place was the main downfall to it, and it was only because for most of the time he was a one-man band. He rarely cooked. Even though the kitchen had a double oven, the refrigerator was the only appliance that was in constant use; this was where he stored beer and leftover take out. Three of the four bedrooms (and ensuite bathrooms) were only ever occupied when SG1 came around. The living room and games room were largely unused most of the time since he preferred the sunroom or the lakeside itself, which was just beyond his garden. Yup, those two features had sold him on this property that he paid for! Nothing but the deck, his chair, and the twinkling lights in the distance. On a clear night he could take out his telescope and point it to the stars, and muse at which ones he had been to, or if he could see the star Sam was visiting, before he’d turn into bed, the one room he really loved in all the house, and mostly because Sam had decorated it.

She had asked him to keep the old king size bed which had been made and kept in the family for generations. Jack had been told by his great-grandfather it was made by a man for a queen, and the blanket they used was for a wedding gift for the timeless couple, which he was sure was an over statement. He did, however, love the bed and when Sam had seen it, she had fallen in love with it too. The blanket had a delicate crocheted lace pattern in cream and was made by his great grandmother. Sam had selected bedroom linen in a subdue creamy white to match the rest of the room. The original shutters for the windows that shut out early light were framed by the light fabric curtains. The rest of the wooden furniture, although newer, were all made to the same standard, the wardrobe, a wedding present, Sam had joked, looked like the wardrobe she’d imagined as a child in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

So, he sometimes dreaded being alone at night, surrounded by all things Sam had chosen, but on these weekends, having Sam with him just made it all complete.

As soon as he stepped into the house, it felt so different. The lighting was warm and inviting to him, or maybe it was the hot blond, who greeted him in his living room.

“You know I don’t normally go for something this tight.” she tells him with a smile. He grins at her watching her as she moves. She wore her long blonde hair down, something she rarely did with, as she stood there in a deep v-neck mid-thigh high blue dress with an open back. “Is there a reason you bought me this almost lingerie dress as an anniversary gift?” She asked, as she turned around in front of him so he could see the full effect of the deep v-neck, mid-thigh blue dress with an open back.

“To make all the other guys wild with envy.” He said, with a smirk playing round his lips as he took off his cover, moved towards her, and kissed her in a way he knew she loved. As he admired his wife, he realized that, for him, it was working too well as the pants of full blues had gotten a bit tight. As he pulled back, he said to her, “Gotta admit, Sam, if this is anything to go on, my plan will go down without a hitch, you are stunning!” She blushed prettily as he reminded her, “It’s the same color as the dress on 593.” 

Sam playfully tapped his chest. “I’m just thankful there’s no veil or headdress.”

“It was optional.” he grinned before she laughed. 

“You really liked that dress?” she asked him.

“I prefer this one.” He smiled. “And--” he said, pulling out another present from his pocket.

“Jack, you don’t need to buy me presents.” she blushed.

“I know I don’t need to. I just--want to.”

She opened it to find a bracelet, necklace, and stud earrings, which all matched in shimmering blue circles. “Oh Jack!” she exclaimed.

“I couldn’t decide if they matched your eyes or the colour of a wormhole.” She looked at him stunned. “I figured they were a near match either way.” He smiled watching her as she put them on. 

“What do you think?” she asked him.

“Nothing could make you more beautiful than you already are Sam, but they do suit you.” He kissed her again then hugged into her tightly, “I’ve been looking forward to this all week, Sam.” he confessed. 

“Me too.” she told him. 

“Come on, milady, we don’t want to be late.”

* * *

“So?” she asked him as their dinner plates were being taken away.

“So?” he asked her.

“How’s your plan going down?”

He grinned wickedly. “I’ve seen every man’s jaw drop along with a husband or two be slapped by his wife--” The waiters moved away while Jack grinned and whispered over the table “and a waiter who is getting more and more nervous every time he comes over.” She laughed and reached over to his hand. “I’m just glad it’s my hand you reach for.”

“Always.” she whispered to him, her eyes not leaving his. “It’s one hell of an anniversary gift, 

Jack.”

“There’s more.” he grinned.

“Oh?” she asked him, taking a sip of her wine. 

He went into the briefcase he had refused to hand over at the door, stating classified information was held in it and pulled out a file. 

“What’s this?” she asked him.

“Why don’t you read it and find out yourself?” he teased her.

She took the file and looked at it questioningly before she opened it. “These are new orders--transfer papers, for me?” she questioned.

“I know.” he nodded.

“The USS--” She gasped and looked at him. “Me? In command?” she asked him, surprise and shock in her voice.

“I can think of no one better.”

“Jack, I’m a scientist not a tact--” She started to object.

“I trained you.” he told her evenly. “You’ve been in command of SG-1, of Atlantis. Sam, you’ve outshone every expectation. You are so capable and ready for this!” he told her. “Congratulations, Colonel.” he smiled.

She was clearly speechless as tears filled her eyes, “They renamed her, The Phoenix. They renamed her to ‘the Hammond.’” She finally said.

“My idea.” he said, with a beaming smile.

Sam smiled and reached her hand over to him “You sweet man.”

“It’s only right.” he said quietly. 

“You trust me with that ship?” she asked him.

“I’d trust you with the entire planet, with an entire galaxy.” he grinned.

Sam looked again at the orders and nodded. “Sir--I--” 

“You leave in a week, time enough to get stuff sorted at the SGC.”

“Does anyone else know?” she asked him.

“Not until Monday.” he said softly.

She nodded, handing him back the file. “Yes Sir.” She smiled softly. “This is quite the evening.” she told him.

“Just wanted to make it special.” he grinned. “Might not get to see you for a while.” 

“We don’t need to worry about it until Monday.” She smiled, holding his hand and giving him a lustful look. “And today *is* Friday.”

He smiled back and squeezed her hand. They had learned a long time ago to seize every moment they had together because soon, she would be lightyears away. That day wasn’t today. “Today *is* Friday.” 


	7. Jack taking a nap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who knew a nap was so entertaining

Sam watched as he swatted away another fly. It was the heat of mid-day and he had cited boredom while watching Daniel drool over another set of texts found on the walls of the latest temple. Truth was he was taking a nap now, so he could take two watchers that night, he did it frequently, although he’d never admitted to it.

She didn’t mind it so much. She was able to watch him like this. She watched the rise and fall of his chest, breathing in and then slowly exhaling, in again then slowly back out, it was almost hypnotic as she felt her own eyes start to drift shut, the drumming of his heart played in time with hers.

Lab-dum Lab--dum, lab----

‘Woah!’ she reprimanded herself in her mind as she shook her head to wake. ‘That was close.’ she thought as she took a sip of water, try as she might she couldn’t look away.

He had originally taken off his cap to cover his face which had slipped over to one side of his face.

She didn’t mind him with a cap on but she always thought his silvering hair was sexy, Oh what she would do to thread her fingers through his hair, to feel what silk felt like! Sam reprimanded her hand for moving forward slightly on her knee. She couldn’t believe she had almost slipped! She was a Major in the Air Force, not some adolescent horny teen with a crush on a teacher, although had Jack O’Neill been one of her instructors in the advanced learning program she was enrolled in as a teen, she could take bets on just how much less work she would have completed!

“Holy Hannah!” She muttered to herself, ‘This is getting out of control!’ she thought shaking her head determined to walk away and find out what it was that Daniel was doing. Her determination melted when, where she moved he reacted and shuffled on his side in his sleep, her eyes were now firmly planted on his six and god damn it, they really really didn’t want to stop watching as his knee moved up towards his stomach as he slept, the curve of his backside now as clear as the sky above them. Several urges hit Sam at once, to feel it in her hand? To taste it with her teeth? To see it bare? To flush her naked body against his naked backside, to reach round and--

“Major if you’re going to watch me quite so intensely can I do something to entertain you more? Might as well get your dollars worth.” he gruffed.

With his words she blushed furiously and was glad his back was turned and his eyes still shut so he could only guess at how embarrassed she was to be caught in the act of fantasising about her boss, by her boss.

“No Sir, sorry sir.” she stuttered nervously, “I’ll just um--I’ll leave you to it sir.” she managed before she scurried away.

* * *

Jack let out a huge sigh of relief at her leaving. He didn’t know why, but he always knew when Sam Carter was watching him, so when he was trying to catch two winks and she insisted on watching him, it was unnerving. Especially if she figured out the fantasy which usually lulled him to sleep.

He closed his eyes imagining her there. Her back pressed to his front, his arms safely around her keeping her safe and warm. She’d turn over and look into his eyes.

Those beautiful clear big blue eyes were his achilles heel. He’d do anything for the women he saw in them. Well he had done anything for her, several times over.

“Please Jack!” Is all it took to melt his previous resolve with her and right now, that’s exactly what fantasy Sam was doing.

Snugged up she was kissed right below his chin, her hair was like a halo, her skin the colour of cream. 

“Please Jack.” she whispered, egging him close, unable to do anything else, he brought his mouth to hers, sealed their lips and dipped his tongue straight into her mouth.

He was rewarded with a needy hum from her throat and an equal share of technique returning the deep kiss he shared with her.

One hand remained behind her keeping her in place the other smoothed down her figure, he was sure to give one breast a good squeeze and the other a kiss as he moved passed them. 

Her legs widened for him giving him better access. His hands wandered back up removing her clothing as he went. Each step she got more beautiful. He relaxed further as his hands found her bare thighs, where he moved his hands round and cupped her perfect peachy bottom. She’d giggle, because it was fun, but also because she knew how it would turn him on. Then her head would slip down in return, her eyes would fix on him, there were no frantic leaps in their love making, slow and luxurious, as if they had all the time in the world to complete the task.

His hands would press again into her breasts, this time the other hand unclipping the back allowing the thin and flimsy material fall between them before he placed it to one side. Although the nipples were hard, her breasts were soft and inviting, so when she removed both his shirts and there was nothing between them they both sighed in relief as their topless bodies met.

“You ready?” he murmured to her.

“Sir?” she asked him her face fading as the puzzled look on her face became a reality. 

* * *

“Wad?” he muttered his eyes opening to find real Sam leaning over him, clearly trying to wake him. 

“You were actually asleep there for two hours sir.” she told him. “I figured you’d want some sunscreen on, it is getting stronger.” She told him “Even you might burn.”

Jack sat up confused for a moment and looked around, bringing his mind back to reality, had he really been asleep for two hours? “Thanks Carter.” he said nodding, the likelihood of him burning was slim to none, he always just tanned, but all the same he knew it was better for his skin to have the cream on him. 

“I’m sorry about before sir.” she said to him gently. “I wasn’t really watching , just... my attention was drifting.” she said to him humbly.

“Take it easy Carter, all our minds wander at times.” he said to her seriously, after the dream he was just having about her, he had no right to tell her that her thoughts had been inappropriate, if hers were---what the hell were his?

“It's funny--” She chuckled a little dorkier than usual “The tricks your mind plays on you when you’re not paying attention.” 

“Yeah,” he agreed, “Freaking hysterical.”


	8. Ah That makes sense

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's not fooling her

His eyes are glazed over again. Daniel is going into some very long and specific details of the upcoming mission and Colonel O’Neill’s eyes are glazed over.

I, at least know when it is he’s zoned out, I don’t think even after five years that Daniel can tell yet.

That’s not to say I’m not on the receiving end of this specific look, I am. Oh boy am I! 

But he caught my eye when he started dismantling his pen again. I used to wonder why he did it. Was it because he was bored, but then I figured, the Air Force has been getting the ballpoint pen since it was popularised, I’m pretty sure even by now a three year old would know what’s in there to greet him. What really tickles me, is that he can’t ever seem to put it back together! Sure enough, his forehead furrows his eyes narrow on the item before the whole thing falls apart in his hands.

I flick my eyes to Daniel who looks slightly annoyed but continues and then I look at The Colonel who is fainting interest so he doesn’t arouse suspicion.

I grin a little and sweep my hand across the table to the broken pen then sweep it back before I replace it with my, perfectly functioning, none standard pen. His eyes light up as he picks it up and sees it's been personalised. It was a gift from dad to make up for missing my graduation from the academy, all I ever needed to do was refill it, and it's what I did. It's a pen, it's functional and it was from my dad after all.

I look as he starts to investigate my pen, he looks at the engraved  **_S.Carter_ ** on the side, somewhat faded but still legible. He tries to click the top only to find it doesn’t. That interests him so he tries to figure out how to get the tip to come out of the pen. I smile, because of all the things to confuse him a twisty top pen seems to do it!

I fix the other pen just to see my pen apart in front of him, he’s picking up the pieces inspecting them as if they had been held together by magic. A guilty look crosses his features then he innocently pushes the pulled apart pen back to me while I had him the original pen. 

He clearly moves on as he pulls some paper towards him, he could be doodling, he could be writing notes,but he’s occupied for the time being. 

“So in conclusion we can only assume that these people are descendants of the Mayans here in central America.” Daniel smiled triumphantly.

“Ah! That makes sense.” The Colonel says as if he had been the one disrupting the meeting.

“It does?” Daniel asked.

He peers at me and sees me nod my head smiling “Sure it does.”

“Well you know what the implications of this are Jack?” Daniel asked. 

“I think--it could mean, if Ra, is anything to go by this is, that somewhere in the lost cities with their pyramids, it could be they were Goa'uld and therefore a Stargate is very likely here in America.” 

Everyone but me stops and stares, hardly believing he paid attention enough to draw any conclusions. He looks at me and feigns he needs confirmation he is right with his conclusion “Right?”

I bite my bottom lip to repress the giggling and nod “Yes Sir.”

“Excellent, I’m hungry, does anyone else want cake?”

As he starts to leave I look to see what it was he was doing to keep himself occupied while I fixed my pen, only to see an almost perfect replica drawn of my pen pulled apart, but the detail is excast, except one detail.

**_Carter-O’Neill_ ** .

My heart leaps a little at such a little detail, I barely have time to register it before I have to look away and pretend I didn’t see it as he’s come back for the note pad.

“Can’t forget my notes.” he says with a smile, having no idea I saw what I did.

“Ah!” I nod “That makes sense.”

Daniel and I walk together and he rants on, wondering how the Colonel could possibly have been listening, when he was messing around the whole time and Daniel knew he didn’t read the mission briefing.

I listen but don’t really take it in. The truth was Colonel O’Neill was actually highly intelligent. He would never let on that he read each mission report, that his filing system on his desk wasn’t ‘in and bin’ but he painstakingly studied each item which hit his desk in detail. I know this because I’ve seen him do it. The truth is, he read the mission briefing in depth before he even went into that meeting. He knew every detail and probably had reached those conclusions before the meeting ever started. The truth was, Colonel O’Neill acted like a silly school boy because he was genuinely bored. He understood what was going on, he understood everything which crossed his path which was most things. 

So he had time to make my stomach flutter and my heart skip a beat. 

Back at school the girls would write their initials and the boys initials which they liked into their pencil cases, note books files, usually with various sized hearts around them. The boys in return would give them a jockey jacket or sweater with their surnames branded above some numbers. 

I was fourteen going on fifteen my senior year in high school, the almost men weren’t really interested in the nerdy skinny shy blond girl so I got angry, made up that I would never want to be branded like that and if I ever chose to marry I certainly wouldn’t take his last name!

I guarantee you I never saw this coming. But his name and my name together like that…

Ah! That makes sense!

He might as well have given me his jockey shirt and branded me.

Because I know I am his! 


	9. Jack reacting to Social media

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It would help if they stopped moving everything around!

“Sam!” he called in panic, hitting the enter key over and over, and becoming more frustrated. “Sam!” 

“Mom went out, Dad.” Jacob told his father, coming into the room. “What’s up?” 

“They changed this social media site again. I don’t know what this is?!” Jack exclaimed, sounding annoyed.

Jacob looked at the screen and smiled. “That’s your newsfeed, dad.” He told his father, pointing to the screen. “See, it says it right there.”

“But it doesn’t look the same and why am I seeing all these ads for--” He paused and looked at the items on the screen. He didn’t need his son to know what they were really for.

“The social media site is connected to all these other websites. It collects the data from them and correlates the relevant data to show in your news feed as online ads, based on what you read, watch, or buy.”

Jack eyed up his son, asking him. “Is that legal?!” he asked.

“That’s debatable,” Jacob shrugged.

“You really are your mother's son.” he commented looking at his son, closely.

“I’m enough of my father’s son to know what those are.” he said, pointing at the screen again. “Did mom teach you how to use those?” he asked with a smirk on his face. 

“You’re thirteen!” Jack exclaimed, slightly disturbed. “How do you know all this?”

“My generation has greater, faster, and easier access to information and media. Who knows what’s polluted my already developing easily influenced mind.”

“What?!” Jack asked shocked.

“Relax, dad,” Grace said from the door looking in with a smile on her face as she came behind his father, playfully shoving her brother. “He’s messing with you; he has no idea what they are, believe me, he knows squat about how to please a woman.”

“Oh good—wait! what?!” he asked, confused. “Do either of you understand your innuendos?” 

The kids shrugged as a singular unit. “This is insane!” he said to them, waving his hands frantically in front of him. “Grace, what is this?” he asked her, pointing at the screen, all these buttons. 

Grace smiled. “They just put them in an easier sorting order.” She told him pointing at the symbols, “They all mean the same thing as before.” she explained. “Home, Groups, Watch, Gaming, Notification, and your Menu, see?” she showed him. “You can change them to ones you use more or adjust the order like this…” She said biting her lip as she worked.

“Why do they have to make it so complex? What are all these numbers?”

“They tell you when people tag you or contact you.” she says as she shows him. “See?”

“Well, what’s this?” Jack asked, having clicked on the watch button.

“That’s tic tock.” Grace said.

“Like a clock?” Jack asked them.

“People take up challenges, or share an opinion, do a dance or sing, and people watch their videos.”

“And people  _ watch _ them?” Jack asked.

“Well yah.” Grace replied.

“But why?” Jack asked.

“For fun.” Jacob said as if it were obvious. 

“If it's so fun, why don't people do it themselves?” Jack asked. “In my day, you wanted fun, you made it yourself.”

“Isn’t that how you ended up stealing a car?” Grace asked him.

“But I did it. I didn’t just sit back and watch.”

“I think I prefer my legal way of having fun. Thanks, dad.” Jacob chuckled.

“Just keep it that way.” Jack playfully snarling at his son. “Okay, Grace, just show me how to put up these pictures of your Mom.”

Grace smiled “Of Mom? Why do you want to share them?” she asked.

“Because she’s still as gorgeous as the day I met her.” He said quietly. “Some of these pictures are ones Uncle Danny took on our early missions together as a team.”

Grace smiled “That’s sweet, dad.” she said to him. 

While Grace opened the files for him, Jacob watched over their shoulder.

“Mom hasn’t changed.” Jacob commented.

“She’s beautiful.” Grace smiled.

“I see her in you.” Jack said to Grace first, “and you.” he said looking at Jacob. “You’re both like her. It's where you get your good looks from.” he grinned.

“Oh, I don’t know. I think your genetics had something to do with it.” Sam said smiling from the doorway.

“We’re teaching dad how to use a computer.” Grace smiled.

“Good luck with that,” She said, entering the room “I’ve been trying for twenty years--and see the progress?” she teased.

“What hold on, what--what's this one?” he asked as the kids started to leave the room.

Sam laughed “That’s Daniel trying to PM you.” 

Jack looked confused “PM?” 

“Private Message, Dad.” Jacob said, rolling his eyes from the doorway.

Jack looked defeated at the screen before he put his head in his hands. “What ever happened to texting me on the phone? Why can’t people just pick up a phone anymore?” 

Seconds later his phone beeped to say he had a message. He picked up his phone and saw Jacob’s name and the start of a message. 

“Haha Jake, very funny.” He then turned to Sam, looked up at her pitifully and said, “How do I text him back again?” Why couldn’t you just type and hit send like the old days when phones had covers?


	10. Its You. Its always been you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, it’s a little AU of how they might have got together.

“You want to what, Sir?” Jack looked at George Hammond as if he had actually lost his mind this time. 

“You heard For all you complain of wanting to retire, Jack, I do actually need to at some point. Project Giza was supposed to be an easy placement before my retirement and that was eight years ago. It’s time.”

“I’m not questioning your motive, just your conclusions!” Jack exclaimed which made George chuckle.

“You always downplay yourself, Jack.” he said shaking his head, “But there is one thing I think you’re overlooking in all this?”

“There is?” He muttered, staring at his hands as he folded them on to his lap. 

“You’ll be in Washington and there, you’ll be out of this chain of command as a consequence.” This made Jack’s eyes shoot up, in surprise. “I thought that might grab your attention.” George chuckled. “I was always rooting for you both, Jack.” George confided, “Now might be that chance.”

Jack swallowed then looked down into his lap again. “How soon do the orders come in?” he asked.

“Effective immediately if you accept. You’ll, of course, be based here for a few months, give you time to find your replacement and set some of your  _ affairs _ in order. But Colonel Reynold’s would be the commanding and reporting officer until we find someone.”

“When would we tell the troops?” Jack asked quietly.

“That depends. Are you saying yes?”

The entire base has been summoned to the gate room, so squashed in the masses of people Sam slid herself closer to Daniel and Teal’c. They knew that this didn’t happen often, so something big was going to happen.

“Any idea what’s going on?” Daniel asked her.

“No clue.” . Standing with her team, she watched him as he followed General Hammond into the Gate room up onto the ramp to stand in front of the Stargate. Curiosity at the scene in front of her peaked her interest. She knew that It must be important if General Hammond was here.

“Thank you all for being here,” General Hammond said by way of grabbing their attention. “I know you’re all busy, so I’ll make it brief.” He told them. “Effective immediately, General Jack O’Neill is no longer the commanding or reporting officer of this facility.” Groups of gasps were heard through the assembled crowd and Sam’s eyes went wide with surprise. What had he done to be removed from his command? With whispered murmurs across her colleagues George’s hands went up again to quieten them. “Your former commander has been promoted to Major General and is expected to take up his new position in Washington DC as my replacement as Head of Homeworld Security.” 

A rare exclamation pounded through the gate room, cheers of his name genuinely had him touched, his whole team and base rooting for his promotion. He wasn’t looking for everyone’s reactions, just hers.

He found her quickly (he always seemed to know where she stood), her mouth slightly open and her eyes wide with surprise. Their eyes caught each other and he didn’t know what to make of it.

He knew it was over with the cop. Daniel was more than happy to tell Jack that she had given him the ring back, before ending the relationship, but he was still no clearer on where they stood. He tried to silently communicate with her, like they used to out on the field, he was trying to gauge her feelings, but when she came to her senses all he could read on her face was confusion, and slight panic. She broke eye contact completely and shuffled herself out. 

* * *

He was pretty sure this was a bad idea. Showing up on her doorstep, but she had actually left base by the time he had made it through the crowds of congratulations. The tide of jubilation was appreciated but not what he wanted. She hadn’t even stayed long enough to hear what was happening, that he’d be there for a while yet, just not reporting to Washington for a while. He reached out and knocked on her door. 

When she answers, he can tell she wasn’t expecting him. She blushed a little before he asked her, “Can I come in?”

“Yes sir,” she said quietly, avoiding his eyes, her answer almost shy. He was surprised at her subdued response to both his request to come in and to his promotion as he entered her house. .

“You were gone before I could talk to you.” He told her, getting directly to the point.

“I didn’t feel well.” She told him, although he wasn’t sure if she was lying. 

It was his own fault he supposed. Their contact had been limited over the last year. It was either that or he really had trained her well. He watched as she turned around from closing the door. Slowly she faced him, her head still low, her eyes not meeting his. “Congratulations sir.” she said to him genuinely “You deserve it.”

“I wanted to tell you first,” He admitted and added quickly when she shook her head in denial. “No, Sam, I really did.” The use of her given name caught her attention. He didn’t use it all that often, so when he used it, he was appealing to her personally, not the Carter. “Hammond only sprung it on me an hour before he called that meeting. There really wasn’t time.”

“I understand, sir.” she replied quietly “I have no right to expect--”

“No, you have every right.” he told her “I didn’t want to tell you with everyone else, especially considering--”

“Considering what, sir?” she asked, finally raising her head.

He took a deep breath and looked into her eyes “Don’t you understand? We’re out of the same chain of command.”

“I know that.” She told him and shrugged. “Ironic, don’t you think? After all--” she paused and shook her head. “For it to happen now--” He could see she was being careful with her words, so he made it easy on her.

“Speak freely Sam. I’m no longer your commanding officer.” he reminded her.

She looked at him surprised before she nodded. “It’s—umm – ironic. Now we’re out of the same chain of command that it should happen now, you -- that it's not what you want anymore.” She said the last seven words so rushed he almost missed them. 

His face changed from concerned to surprised. He watched her closely and started slotting the pieces into place, he stepped forward into her personal space.

Her heart rate increased, her mind fuzzed over, she placed her hands on his arms to steady herself.

“How can you not know?” he asked her in a whisper. “I thought I made my allegiances clear a long time ago.” he said, relishing in the feel of her hands on his arms. His own hands finding comfort in a tactile way as he placed one hand placed on her hip while the other tilted her face up before it rested on her cheek stroking it. “One word from you and I’ll never speak of it again--” he told her “But you should know, it's you.” he confessed quietly, her eyes flicked and now she gave him eye contact, surprise, joy, love all mixed in her eyes. “It’s always been you.”

Unexpected tears sprung to life in her eyes. “R-Really?!” She asked as he wiped away her tears. “You--You still want me?” 

“Always.” he whispered to her.

The tears came quicker now, one thumb remained there wiping the tears, the other swept back her blonde hair fondly. “I hope these are tears of happiness?” he asked her.

“Oh yah!” she nodded with a smile, where he chuckled before he leaned in, his eyes flicking to her lips for permission where she met him part way. Instead of the gentle kiss he was planning, her lips were pressed fiercely against his, which was okay by him. 

When they did move apart catching their breath she looked up into his eyes and with flirting eyes she asked “So--no longer in the same chain of command, huh?” Then she bit into her bottom lip.

He growled playfully then captured her lips again, the surprised little squeak from her before it happened told him everything he needed to know.

He gave a genuine grin back now, both hands cupping her cheeks he brought her in again and felt her hand still him at his hip, the other snaked around his neck playing with the short hair on the back of his head.

“Right back at you.” she whispered. “Always, always you.” 


	11. Sam proposes to Jack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She's taking the leap!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Set literally during the time that The Kindred Part II was aired. My thoughts are that even though there was a lot going on, there wasn’t a week between part 1 and part 2 (of the Kindred) in Stargate Universes timeline. Rather, it was one long stream and it didn’t seem that a week has passed from the beginning of one episode to the end of the second episode. I think it may be having been close to a week, but I don’t actually think a week could have happened. No doubt there will be evidences to suggest otherwise that I’ve missed. 
> 
> I acknowledge that I’ve not sat down and watched to see if days were passing in either episode. If you’ve done this, I commend you for your dedication to details, but for the sake of this story, let’s just assume there was a day or two contracted in the timeline please--and we know that 12 days have elapsed from the beginning of “Last man standing” to the end of the episode. So if we assume Sam leaves as described in this story she’s not actually on Atlantis when John goes missing and still has plenty of time to come back and be there for him when he gets back. 
> 
> Also, this story also makes the assumption that Jack and Sam are in fact not married in season 4 of Atlantis (everyone who knows me knows I think they are married at that point!) But, alas, my muse has not worked that way today, so you’re getting this!

When Sam was younger, she used to look forward to February 29th. It was the one day that her dad, Jacob, would joke about. “It’s a day for free!” He’d tell her. She smiled at the memory of visiting the zoo one year, another going ice skating, another they went to the cinema. All on February 29th, because for 365 days a year, her father was a serious deadpan Colonel then General in the Air Force, but on the 366th day, he was just her dad. 

Somewhere along the way, it had become just another day. Something dreaded and endured to get to the next day. 

‘It’s a shame really,’ she thought to herself, ‘when did I stop looking forward to my extra day in a year?’ For some reason, the thought stuck in her mind all day. February 27th, 2008, wasn’t so productive as a result, she was uncomfortably pacing. A nervous and anxious energy had hung around for at least a week. Ever since she had spoken to Teyla about the rescue mission for Kanaan. He had been the one person who truly understood Teyla, who she felt infinitely connected to, and who she was willing to do anything for the man she loved. Teyla was strong and independent, a leader to her world, yet there she was, doing anything for the man she loved, just like she would. 

Sam smiled at the thought, ‘Was Kanaan Teyla’s Jack?’ 

A revelation came to her in the split second afterwards and suddenly it all became clear. 

She knew what she had to do with her extra day of the year. 

* * *

Jack was very sleepy and very annoyed at whoever was knocking on his door at six thirty in the morning. It was a rare day off, where he wasn’t going to be in meetings all day, he was going to relax on the dock outside and pretend to fish. 

‘So, whoever it was knocking on my door this time in morning can just--’ he thought before he opened the door. “Sam!” he exclaimed, looking at her surprised at her presence. Last he knew she was literally a galaxy away.

“I never planned my wedding.” she confessed to him.

“Okay?” he asked her, confused. ”Do you want to come in?”

Sam just stared at her lover, not even hearing the question as she needed to explain before she could think of the next step. Blue eyes and brown eyes locked as she started to explain.

“No, it’s not okay. I… um… I never planned my wedding, ever, not just with Pete or with Jonas. I just never planned my wedding. I never saw myself in a white dress with pretty flowers, or a cake, or all those people watching me, not even as a little girl. I never wanted that sort of attention, I guess. But my friends, they had files of their ideal wedding for different budgets and colours or flowers or themes, but I didn’t see myself getting married like that.” She told him nervously playing with the zip from her jacket. “I never cared about colours, or what my dress looked like, wearing a veil or tiara, lilies or roses, red, pink or blue--I never pictured any of that.”

“Okay--” he said trying to follow her train of thought and wondering why she had travelled across galaxies to discuss the idea she didn’t want a wedding. He held open the door and gestured to Sam to come in, but she just stood on the doorway and kept talking.

“The weird thing was, I did see myself in a marriage, a husband, two kids. I saw that bit quite clearly. I saw love and commitment and companionship and lots of hugs and kisses-- and then, well, when I was older, you know--” she said with a suggestive kind of shrug, “And I guess I always assumed, no matter how many times I had been engaged before, that I guess I really thought it meant I was truly married to my job, because I never saw myself like a bride, and I don’t have to actually marry my job to be married to it, you know?”

“Sam--”

“Marry me?” she asked of him, his eyebrows going up in surprise, a look of delight washed over his face as she rushed to get her words out. “Here and now, today, the 29th of February and it's an extra day, given to us and we should seize it! Don’t you think? We can go to Vegas and get married. It's not so far away, not on a plane anyway. The truth is I don’t think I ever wanted to be a bride, but I do want a marriage… with you.” she told him. 

He stepped forward, not caring if any of the neighbors saw him in his Homer Simpson boxer shorts and t-shirt and he kissed her. “I do.” he said, with a smirk coming back from the kiss.

“Not there yet, airman.” she teased him.

“Let me get my pants on then we can go. Everything else can be sorted on the way.” He smiled.

“Really?” she asked him hopefully.

He smiled at her again, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear in a gentle caress. “Samantha Carter wants to marry me. There was never going to be another answer.”

She grinned widely as he took her face in his hands, cupping her gently, “This is really happening!?” she said happily. “You want me too?” she double checked.

“Always have.” He assured her before he kissed her.

“Okay!” she said with a giggle after a mind-blowing kiss. “Let’s do this!”

“Just promise me one thing?” he asked of her.

“Just one?” she asked.

“We still have cake. It doesn’t have to be a wedding cake. Just don’t drug it.”

She laughed and nodded her head. “Deal.” She agreed, “So, I don’t need to drug you to get you to marry me then?”

He shrugged. “If it had been you, I certainly wouldn’t have looked for a way  _ out _ the marriage.”

She laughed again as he pulled her into the house and shut the door behind them. “Wait here and don’t change your mind while I change my pants.”

“Okay.” She smiled, giving him a megawatt smile. Jack stood there slightly bemused by that brilliant smile before he turned back to his bedroom to change.

Sam watched his magnificent six as he climbed the stairs of his house and took a deep breath in of relief.

Well, maybe it wasn’t exactly a dream wedding. But she didn’t need lace and flowers or an expensive day which was just a party in the end. It was much better, what she’d have was her dream husband, her dream marriage. Her stomach fluttered in a good kind of way. It wouldn’t be a dream, it would be real, and that was something after all she had been through, she had learned, was so much more exciting.


	12. Those things you said yesterday--Did you mean them?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Those things you said yesterday?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set the morning after number 10

Consciousness started to fill her senses as she stirred in bed. She was surprised by the feeling of another person in bed with her. She was spooning him, his back pressing her front, she knew most men wanted to be the big spoon, whoever it was didn’t mind her taking the position. 

The scent was unmistakable, she knew it from times of old. The scent was as familiar as the smell of the tent, the musk of Daniel, the fruit of Teal’c. 

She wasn’t aware enough yet to know it was wrong for her to press her nose into the warm and familiar scent of him. Leather and cinnamon, but she concluded something was off about it. Her own scent had joined it. 

Her eyes flew open in surprise, panicked for a moment as her sleep wore off.

She was in bed with her boss!

‘Wait!’ she reminded herself. ‘Hold on, he got promoted, remember? He’s no longer in your chain of command.’ She soothed her consciousness. ‘Okay’ she rationalized. ‘I can work with legal.’ She thought as she removed her hand from the curve of his tanned hip. She tried not to think about how his skin was quite so tanned in such an intimate place as she untangled her legs from his and slid her arm from across the mattress. She quickly rolled over in victory facing the other way, but it wasn’t quite the victory she was hoping for when she felt him stir and heard him make a small sound of protest. 

She waited a few more seconds for him to wake. This was her bedroom so it wasn’t as if she could make a run for it. There was no way this could be any more awkward and for them, they still had a little while where they had to be on base together, to work together, so she’d just have to be blunt and honest to him. 

She felt him turn towards her. she was sure he was now facing her back when she asked, half terrified of the answer “Those things you said yesterday...did you mean them?” Even she was surprised by the emotion in her voice. The words had hurt her throat to say as her eyes welled. 

He’d be within his rights to change his mind. Decide he didn’t want her after all. She knew she’d be crushed but would accept it. She had one amazing night to remember for the rest of her life. A night she had felt safe, respected, known for all she was, and thoroughly loved. That was more than she had ever expected, all she ever wished for, though she’d never assumed it could come true. It’d be selfish to assume more.

She started at the feel of his arm slipping around her and she gasped in surprise as he pulled her back to him. All the reassurance she would ever need came from his mouth next “There’s no need to feel so insecure, Samantha. You’re safe with me.” Her eyes fluttered shut, unsure she was able to contain the joy she felt rise in her body. “I love you.” 

She turned around in his arms and looked into his soft chocolate eyes. They were serious in their sincerity. 

One hand stroked his cheek affectionately. “I love you too--” She paused and smiled stupidly. “Jack.”

The stupid smile was returned “So you do know my name!” He teased her as she giggled involuntarily and felt the result of said giggle which only made her giggle more. “Damn it, Sam.” he growled.

She raised her lips to his ear and whispered in it. “Jack, Jack, Jack.” She giggled more at his reaction, both physically and vocally before she pulled back again and looked him in the eyes. Taking in his features up close, she was glad that she was able to imprint the happy smiling face on to her memory engrams. She was the first to admit that a genuine O’Neill smile was rarely seen. Oh, but she loved it when it was, especially since it was directed at her. She leaned in and kissed him again.

When she pulled back, he looked her in the eyes and whispered “Morning, Sam.”

She smiled, bit her bottom lip, and whispered back. “Morning, Jack.”

His grin faded before he asked her. “Were you giving me the ‘get out’ clause just then?” he asked her.

She shrugged. “I figured you might have changed your mind.”

“In my sleep?” He asked. “I barely think when I’m awake and you think I formulated a plan to get out of your bedroom in my sleep?”

“I just figured with work and everything--”

“I think work has interfered with our personal life long enough now, don’t ya think?”

She let out a little puff of air. “You’re right--you’re right.” She agreed, nodding her head. “I don’t want anything to be awkward, either here or at work.” she said carefully.

Jack smiled. “Look, if it helps, I’m hardly one for public displays of affection.” He reassured her by reading her mind again. “It will be nice to be able to after all this time. But at work, we remain strictly professional.”

She looked at him nervously. “Do we tell anyone?” She asked, cautiously.

“Not if you don't want to.” He said to her, “Sam, this relationship, us. It’s always been up to you. I will never force you to do anything you don’t want.”

“I do want to be with you!” she affirmed.

He smiled affectionately, “I’m glad.”

She nodded then said. “You’re right though, about the public displays of affection, we can’t do it at work. If it got out, we were together, even though you’re not my boss anymore, it would look…”

“I know, Sam. I know.” he nodded. “I’m okay if it’s just the two of us. Maybe Hammond. I think he should know. What do you think?”

She thought for a moment before she said quietly “Yes. I think we should. But I want to tell Daniel and Teal’c-- eventually.”

“Not right away?”

“I -- I just -- I need time I think… to assure myself this is real, to adjust, I guess.”

He chuckled and raised his eyebrow playfully “Not ashamed of me, huh?”

She laughed “No, I want to shout it from the rooftops!” she smiled. “But I also want it to last, I don’t want work interfering. I know you’ll be moving to Washington and I just think we need to focus on us, on getting used to there being a us, and get settled in before we tell the guys.”

“Okay then, from there we’ll see how it goes.” he affirmed to her.

She brushed her nose with his in an eskimo kiss before she whispered “Thank you, Jack. I can already tell how lucky I am.”

“Right back at ya.” she said as he gathered her in his arms again. He looked at the clock behind her then whispered in her ear “We have time--before work though?” he asked her, looking at her with a pitiful puppy dog look in his eye.

Her eyes lit up and her smile beamed before she replied. “Oh yah!” she agreed, pulling him into a kiss.


End file.
